ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) granted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a final opportunity to respond to a show-cause notice in the prohibited funding case by August 22.
The PTI had requested an extension from the electoral body to submit their response in the case.
Furthermore, the ECP imposed an Rs50,000 fine on the party and cautioned that if the response was not submitted by the due date, the matter would be resolved based on the existing records.
Expressing its dissatisfaction, the commission reminded the PTI’s counsel in its order that the issue had been pending since August 2, 2022. More than 12 hearings had taken place, with directions issued to the respondent party’s counsel on each hearing date to provide a reply to the show-cause notice of August 5, 2023.
The order detailed that “Sikandar Sultan Raja, Chairman, Saqlain Haider Awan, AHC, appeared before the commission and submitted his ‘vakalatnama’ along with a second interim reply to the notice on August 5, 2023, which is duly recorded. He requested additional time for the submission of a detailed reply.”
The order continued: “During the last hearing, the commission granted a one-month extension based on the personal commitment of Anwar Mansoor Khan, senior ASC, emphasizing that it was the absolute last opportunity. It was explicitly stated that in the event of non-compliance, the right to submit a reply would be forfeited, and the matter would be resolved according to the law. However, despite the clear commitment and order, a comprehensive reply was not received, and a request for more time was made. Anwar Mansoor Khan is also absent due to illness. The respondent’s party is engaging in delaying tactics to prolong the proceedings.”
ECP Said PTI Is Employing Delay Tactics
The ECP directed the respondents to pay the Rs50,000 fine, which “shall be donated to an orphanage.”
“The matter is adjourned to August 22, 2023, for the final submission of a reply to the show-cause notice. In the event of non-compliance, the right to submit a reply will be forfeited, and the matter will be resolved based on the available records,” concluded the order.
The ECP had previously said that in its August 8 ruling, the PTI was employing delaying tactics to prolong the proceedings.
On August 9, CEC Raja responded to the PTI lawyers’ request for more time, stating: “Last chance means last chance. But your schedule for responding appears to span eight years, (indirectly referencing the PTI foreign funding case, which was initiated in November 2014 and concluded in August of the previous year). What should the commission do with its order?”
On August 2 of the previous year, a five-member bench of the commission issued a show-cause notice to the PTI via its chairman under the Political Parties Order, 2002, to present their case.
